^. 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


k 


A 


// 


^.^^. 


^ 


1.0 


I.I 


IAS  12.8 

|50     "^~ 

us 

IS 

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>i^      I. 

ayub 


14.0 


IL25  mi  1.4 


2.5 
2.2 

12.0 


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0% 


^ 


*>. 


^ 


'V^<^' 


> 


>  > 


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Photographic 

Sdeices 

Corporation 


^.>' 


<^ 


23  WEST  MAIN  STRUT 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  USEO 

(716)  172-4503 


'^ 


CIHM/!CMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/iCMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibiiographicaliy  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


,      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagde 


□   Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurie  et/ou  pellicuiie 

I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


D 
D 
D 
D 

D 


D 


D 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/cr  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  serrde  peut  causer  de  I'cmbro  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int^rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout6es 
lors  d'une  restauratlon  apparaissent  dans  le  texte. 
mais,  lorsque  cela  itait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6td  filmies. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilmd  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6X6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique.  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  methods  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


I      I   Coloured  pages/ 


D 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 


□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restauries  et/ou  pellicul6es 

0    Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcoiordes,  tachetdes  ou  piqu6es 

□    Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtachdes 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Quality  in^gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materii 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppiimentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


r~~\  Showthrough/ 

I      I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

I — I  Only  edition  available/ 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6X6  filmdes  6  nouveau  de  fapon  6 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  i&  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


Z6X 


30X 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


tails 
t  du 
odifier 
une 
mage 


Tha  copy  filmad  hara  has  baan  raproducad  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Tha  imaga',  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
possibia  considaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacif ications. 


L'axamplaira  film*  f ut  raproduit  grica  A  la 
ginArr/sit*  da: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Las  imagas  suivantas  ont  4t*  raproduitas  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin.  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattatA  da  l'axamplaira  filmA.  at  an 
conformity  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
beginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  ending  on 
tha  last  page  with  a  printad  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  Vi9  back  covar  whun  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copias  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printad  or  illustrated  impres- 
bion,  and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printad 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimte  sont  filmAs  en  commenfant 
par  la  premier  plat  at  an  termin^^nt  soit  par  la 
darniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autras  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commen^ant  par  la 
pramiAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — »>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED "),  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboies  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
darniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ".  1^ 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  radios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  in'sluded  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc..  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffArents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  porr  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichA.  il  est  film*  A  partir 
de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite. 
et  de  haut  en  bas.  en  prenant  la  nombre 
d'imagas  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  sue /ants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


irrata 
to 


pel  u  re. 
in  d 


G 

32X 


1  2  3 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

9^. 


M 

1 


•* 


SPEECH 


^f  ^^- 


OF 


f 


MR.  WENTWOETH,  OF  ILLINOIS, 


•  N 


THE    OREGON    TERRITORY: 


DELTVBRBD 


IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES, 


Javvart   24,    1844. 


1 


WASHINGTON: 

PRINTED  AT  THE  GLOBE  OPPIOH. 

1844. 


X,!,  ^  [ 


II 


in- 


Mr.  WJ 
/ollows: 
Mr.  Ch 

orable  fric 
^arpsc;  and 
,th|ui  ni'-in 
plsased-  'i 
ments  of  i 
liupposed 
ibr  no  othe 
of  Jastice 
irifnts  cigaii 
ments.  Bi 
Sllipriscd  ii 
hisremaiks 
TC|)eated  an 
the, whole  \ 
nity  of  oui 
pnae  to  sur 
IMM)  after  a( 
right— that 

AJW  NV'luit  t 

by  prior  d 
one  year  be 
erjr  under 
pnor  posse; 
veuaber,   m 
Gh«Bt  Britai 
1806;  and, 
:an  be  no  c 
'oUowed  by 
nore  strong 
French  and 
Tlamda  treal 
ne|jbe  (lain 
aify  those 
Mmpount  t 

9  OUW — firs 

i'mnse;  thin 
uently  beci 
reaty  of  G\ 
le  last  war 
lOiKii   of  t) 


4/' 


SPEECH. 


Mr.  WENTWORTH  addressed  the  House  as 
/ollows: 

Mr.  Chairman:  I  was  writing  at  my  desk,  on 
ujgcnt  business  of  my  constituents,  wlien  my  hon- 
orable friend   from  Kentucky    [Mr.  Thomasson] 
j^rpse;  and  nothing  \ns  further  from  my  intentions 
Jthlin  n(''lressing  the  House  to-day.     I  was  much 
piiased-  'lighly  delighted — with  the  patriotic  senti- 
ments of  1  V  friend  from  Indiana,  [Mr.  Owen;]  and 
I  mipposed  iliat  the  gentlem£in  from  Kentucky  arose 
tar  no  otlicr  purpose  than  also  to  sustain  the  cause 
of  Justice  and  humanity — to  vindicate  the  settlers' 
ri|^ts  against  Indian  cruelties  and  British  encroach- 
ments.    But  I  must  confess  that  I  never  was  more 
wuprised  in  my  whole  life  than  at  the  whole  tenor  of 
lui  remarks,  &g  entirely  repugnant  are  thev  to  the  oft- 
reipeated  and  well-known  sentiments  and  feelings  of 
the  whole  western  people,  and  to  the  honor  and  dig- 
nity of  our  nation.    And  what  may  well  add  sur- 
priie  to  surprise,  is  the  fact  that  he  has  said  all  he 
luMlj  after  acknowledging  that  Oregon  was  ours  by 
rigttt — that  our  title  to  it  was  clear  and  indisputable. 
Am  what  title  could  be  more  so?    We  have  it,  first, 
by  prior  discovery  under  Captain  Gray  in  1792, 
one  year  before  Great  Britain's  pretended  discov- 
ery under    Captain    McKensie;   and    second,    by 
prior  possession    under  Lewis  and   Clark  in  No- 
I'ember,   1804,   whilst  the  pretended  po.ssession  of 
3reat  Britain  under  Mr.  Thompson  was  not  until 
1806;  and,  according  to  the  law   of  nations,  there 
uui  be  no  clearer  title  than  that  of  prior  iliscovcry, 
"oUowed  by  prior  possession.     But  our  title  is  still 
nore  strongly  fortified   by  our  succession  to  the 
^'rench  and  Spanish  titles,  under  the  Louisiana  and 
Florida  treaties;  and  no  impartial  person  can  exani- 
ne  the  claims  of  these  two  governments,  and  espe- 
■ial^  those  of  Spain,  without  acknowledging  them 
•aramount  to  those  of  Great  Britiiin.    Oregon,  then, 
s  ours — fi'sl,  by  our  own  right;  second,  by  that  of 
''ranee;  third,  by  that  of  Spain,  which  has  subse- 
uently  been  endorsed  by  Mexico.     Again:  by  the 
*eaty  of  Ghent,  such  places  as  were  taken  during 
le  last  war  were  to  be  resttn-ed.    The  town  at  the 
louUt  of  lite  Columbia,  founded   by  John  Jacob 


Astor  In  1811,  and  called  Astoria,  wa«  taken  in  the 
last  war  by  Captaui  Blake,  in  December,  1813;  and  , 
so  it  was  formally  restored  to  the  United  States  Oc- 
tober 16,  1818,  under  this  treaty.  This  shows  how 
England  regarded  the  matter  at  that  time.  It  ia 
proof  positive  that  she  thought  it  ours.  Now  what 
has  she  done  to  gain  a  title  since.'  Russia  l>&s  con- 
ceded our  right  to  54  degrees  and  40  minutea 
north  latitude,  which  brings  Russia  forward  to 
strengthen  our  title;  and  Spain  concedes  us  all 
above  42  degrees.  And  the  vtdue  of  this  concession, 
I  ought,  perhaps,  to  enlarge  upon,  a.s  it  embracea 
the  discovery  of  Cape  Blanco,  in  1543,  ;i«  far  north 
as  latitude  43  degress;  of  the  straits  of  Fuca,  uj  lat- 
itude 49  to  51,  in  1592,  by  Juan  de  Fuca;  of  the  riv- 
er Umpqua,  in  1603,  by  Aguiler,  in  latitude  44;  of 
Nootka  sound,  by  Perez  and  Martinez,  in  1774,  in 
latitude  49  to  50;  and  of  Cape  Disappointment,  in 
1775,  by  a  company  of  Spaniards,  m  latitude  46. 
The  right  of  these  discoveries,  outweighing  any  of 
Great  Britain,  was  conceded  to  us  by  the  Florida 
treaty  of  Feburary  22,  1819,  and  confirmed  by  the 
treaty  with  Mexico,  January  12,  1828.  Bissett,  the 
English  historian  and  successor  to  Hume,  in  naming 
the  various  tracts  of  country  belonging  to  England, 
in  17C3,  does  not  mention  Oregon;  and  yet  her  diplo- 
matists claim  she  got  possession  by  the  discovery  of 
Sir  Francis  Drake,  in  1579,  almost  two  centuriea 
before.  And  there  are  maps  yet  extimt,  published 
by  Eman  Bowen,  geographer  to  his  Majesty,  in 
which  all  the  territory  west  of  what  was  tlien  the 
French  territory,  (as  discovered  by  La  Salle,  in 
1683,  embracing  all  the  country  from  the  head  wa- 
ters of  the  Mississippi  to  its  mouth,)  and  extending 
to  the  Pacific  ocean,  was  set  down  as  belonging  to 
Spain.  This  shows  that  the  English  claim  must 
have  arisen  since  1763.  And  it  evidently  had  no 
claim  then;  for,  in  his  voyage,  he  never  went  aa 
high  as  40  degrees  of  latitude,  and  that  would  only 
give  England  California,  to  which  she  lias  never 
made  a  pretence  of  claim.  And  it  is  only  until  we 
consented  to  lier  joint  occupancy,  and  offered  her  all 
above  49  degrees,  that  she  has  begun  to  study  the 
log-books  of  early  navigators  to  make  out  a  title  to 


lB?7i^ 


4 


nny  niition  n\n  ^(\\n  by 
■e  with 


t}ie  whi)le.     And  this  is  all 
Ci>mpromiKin^*ilH   right  for  tlic' Hiike  of  jiriu 
Great  Britain. 

Tlius  wo  lmv(;  a  tract 
twelve  degrees  and  forty 
by  a  title  fo  stron*  that. 
it  could  he  sironujir.  Bu*  ' 
is  enough  for  me  that  tl 


of  ro-nitry  enil)rai'iii;; 
niinulos,  secured  I"  us 
1  do  not  we!!  see  Ihav 
will  let  the  title  p;us.  it 
irentleiuaii    ha.s  aeknowl- 


*;dged  our  ri,^ht  to  the  country.  Now,  sir,  why  not 
defend  that  r\'j;M  After  kiiowi'".;  wlmt  our  rights 
are,  how  lou'^  whall  we  see  them  tianipled  upoii  l)c- 
forc  wc  arouse  lo  their  delenee:  How  loiji;^  aie  tlio 
emissaries  of  the  Hudson's  Ixiy  .'('lupiniy  to  niariuid 
ihe  planis  of  Orei!;on,  ])art  and  panel  of  ourconui  on 
country,  opprossin:;  the  liurily  (lioneer  in  American 
enterprise,  and  wc,  the  framers  of  our  country's 
laws — the  guardians  of  otu-  country's  rii;lits — re- 
jiiain  listless  and  'nactivc?  How  nmch  further,  un- 
der the  encouragement  of  hi^r  old  ally.  Great  I'rit- 
ain,  are  the  Indians  to  extend  their  depredations 
■upon  American  property  and  Ameriean  life  wiiliout 
an  indiu;niuit  response  from  the  American  Congres.s? 
There  are  nut  only  dwelling  houses  and  mishiouary 
.st'itions  in  Orei^on,  but  chari;hes  and  siihool  houses. 
And  who  am  t(  II  how  many  ol' these  may  have  been 
burnt  to  the  groinid,  or  stained  by  the  blood  of  mas- 
sacred American  citizens,  through  the  cruelties  of  our 
ancient  and  allied  foes,  (Great  Britain  and  the  In- 
dians,) whilst  ihe  gentleman  wa.s  nialcing  his  tem- 
porizing speech.''  Ay,  sir,  who  can  tell  what  outrages 
are  perpetrated  there,  from  day  to  day,  upon  Amer- 
ican soil,  and  ujion  American  citir.cnw,  iui(/cr  the  sanc- 
tion of  lairs'.'  But  whnt  Uncs?  The  laws  of  the  United 
States^  Those  we  have  never  given  them.  In  vain 
does  the  poor  Oregon  settler  ask  for  a  trial  by  the 
laws  of  his  country.  In  vain  does  he  ask  for  a 
judge  era jm-y.  And,  further  yet,  in  vain  does  he 
ask  for  the  protection  of  the  American  flng — a  boon 
not  denied  one  of  our  citizens  in  almost  any  other 
portion  of  the  world.  But  how  are  they  tried?  By 
British  laws,  or  by  the  British  constitution?  No,  sir. 
Have  they  the  advantages  of  even  the  old  conmion 
law?  iVo,  sir.  How,  then,  arc  they  tried?  Why,  by 
the  whims  and  caprices  of  the  Hudson  Bay  comj>n- 
i\y,  which  varies  its  laws  to  suit  the  times,  the  occa- 
Rions,  and  the  cases;  which  follow  the  old  )Scotch 
Jedburgh  fitshion — hang  first,  and  try  afterwards. 
To  do  justice  to  Great  Britain,  I  will  state  that  .she 
lias  enacted  a  few  hnvs  in  relation  to  Oregon;  and 
one  of  these  provides  that  the  Hudson  Bay  I'ompany 
have  power  to  give  judgment  against  any  American 
citizen  iti  Oregon,  and  issue  an  execution,  under 
cover  ot'  which  he  may  bo  confined  in  their  forts,  or 
sent  to  the  jails  of  Canada,  at  their  pleasure.  So, 
■when  they  do  not  want  to  try  and  punish  American 
citizens  on  American  territory,  without  law,  or  by 
itiob  law,  made  on  the  spot,  for  fear  of  outraging 
public  feeling,  they  will  kidnap  them,  and  take  them 
to  a  British  colony,  to  be  tried  liy  British  Judges 
and  British  laws.  Now,  under  tlus  state  of  things, 
we  ask  that  a  territorial  goverinncnt  he  sent  them;  we 
ask  for  them  laws,  judges,  and  jurors;  to  all  of 
which,  every  Ameiican  citizen,  however  humble 
bis  condition,  and  however  distant  his  abode,  is 
justly  entitled.  But  if  they  cannot  have  these,  as 
the  scinticst  pittance — as  the  least  act  of  grace  on 
the  |)art  of  our  government — we  ask  only  the  pro- 
tection of  the  American  flng.  And  what  less  can 
we  ask  for  those  daring  adventurers  who,  '■'■durli 
anvne  jiotrtfC,"  sacrificing  all  the  endearments  of 
tlieir  cnrlv  Jiomea,  and  all  the  gay  delights  of  the 
jBociul  and  fasliiouable  circles,  count  their  lives  us 


nothing  in  the  midst  of  their  determination  to  ex-  «  ij,, 
tend  the  boinid  <  of  American  civilization,  and  plain  jruj : 
th(!  cross  of  ('lirist  on  the  shores  of  the  Pacific?  j,tt|c 

Mr.  Chan-man,  when  wc  have  ascertained  oin  i„„|, 
rights,  then  is  just  the  time  to  resent  any  encroach-  mini 
nicnt  upon  them.  Sudi  was  the  governmg  senti  Her 
meat  of  oiu-  patriotic  forefathers  in  1774,  whc  prn^ 
thought  not  a  niomeiit  of  the  power — the  Ircmen-  Jost  i 
duns  p(iw(r — of  their  mother  eomitry,  when  they  ner  t 
found  her  the  affgn  ssor — when  they  found  her  ii  who! 
the  wrong,  and  they  iliemselves  in  the  right.  And  it  -wuni 
poor  lis  they  ilicn  were,  both  as  States  and  individ-  ami  i 
uals;  if  weak  as  iliey  ilien  wc:\;  in  every  respect;  i'  hendi 
niiprotecled  as  they  theu  were  against  the  Indian-  way 
(umiK!  side,  and  Great  Britain  on  the  other,  thti  '  dowi 
dared  strike  for  thiir  rii^lits,  can  wc  long  hesitut'  Mail 
as  1,0  our  duty?  Sliall  it  be  said  that,  ere  the  lib  that  i 
revolulioner  has  gone  down  to  his  grave,  this  iin  -  chase 
tion  will  condescend  to  tamper,  to  parley,  to  use  th  JVeve 
language  of  wea'-iicss  and  timidity,  when  a  tract  <  until 
country,  embracing  one-fourth  more  than  the  origin;;  we  gr 
thirteen  States,  is  "at  stake:  And  that,  too,  bccausj  was  e 
as  the  gentleman  has  told  us,  England  is  powerfii  with  i 
and  more  prepared  (or  war  than  we  are.  But,  the  b( 
what  consists  this   great,  this   formidable  power.  Sir, 

Eiiglam.,  sulHcienf,  in  the  mind  of  the  gentlcma:        made 
to  .slillc  tlie  voice  of  our  people,  to  paralyze  tlic  actii         1783. 
of  this   body  on  so   important  a  question  as  tin        lamite 
Like  Ihe   niillionaires  of  1836,   England  makes         come 
great  show  on   ijaper.     She  has  possessions  beyoi        too    Ir 
count;  but,   like  those  millionaires,   she  has  lor        of  pin 
lived  (ni    that  bubble!,  expanded   credit,  and   she         before 
about  out  of  funds.     Her  citizens  at  home,  win        our  a; 
sweat  and   blood  she  has  so  long  and   so  severe        wester 
taxed,  .M'e  becoming  fiictious  and  disorderly,  wli      -Wfion  t 
her  c.r  lonists  are  bearing  her  yoke  very  impatient:        importi 
She  is  in  debt  beyond  her  means  or  expectatio        luinbii: 
ever  to  ]iay;  and   each  year  she  adds  to  it.     I!        aware 
strength  is  anywhere  else  than  where  it  ought  to  be        to  Gre 
in   the   aftcctanis  of  her  people.     And  here,  sir.        ty-nin 
the  impregnalilo   fortress  of  the  American  govor       floor,  i 
ment.     Her  jieople  love  it,  and   will  sacrifice  tli        ofl^er  a 
all  to  defend  it.     But  here  Great   Britain  is  we;     '>that  ct 
The  people  upon  whom  she   relies  for  defence.       'Hot  th 
groaning   under  innumerable  cruelties  and  oppr        leave  t 
sions;  and  if  they   fight  at  all,  it  will  be  from  ci        «on  wf 
pulsion   and   for  pay,   rather  than   love.     And        gives  fj 
T.ilu'^  of  such  soldiers  against  men  fighting  for  \\.       *n  be  of 
inalienable  rights,  the  struggle  for  ourindependf       iic  meJ 
fully  tested.  England  has  little  to  gain  even,  at  K       cuss  til 
by  going  to  war  with  us,  and  much,   very  nii:       "treiityl 
to  lose;  and   she  has   no   idea  of  it.     She  has.'      *way. 
enough  of  wars  with  the  United  States,  wliere         treaty 
ill  ways  geip  worsted.  She  prefers  uegotiations,  wi'       ourscH 
she  always  beats  us.     Hence  we  find  her  not  w.       »f  the 
ing    to    fight    for,  but    to    negotiate    for,   Ore:      TesortI 
Having  no  title    to   this    desirable  tract  of  I'l       -firees 
try,    she     pretends     one,     and     modestly    d;i       up  "'n(| 
the    whole.      But    in    this     enlighened    Chris'       wnh 
age,  she  docs  not  wish  to  go  to  war,  and  propos.       lirgentj 
compromise.     And  thus  far  she  has  been  very  f"       *'"<^  "'|l 
nate;  for  already  has  an  American  Secretary  of  >       'W'e  wil 
(Mr.  Clay,  in  1826)  instructed  one  of  our  mini?      -^e  lial 
(Mr.  Galmtin)  to  oflier  to  give  her  all  above  49 li      *0'i  'M 
so  as  to  make  our  boundary  west  of  the  mo  liuuy  I 

run  parallel  with  that  east — a  surrender  of  5  ^^  ^"1 
and  40  mill. — almost  luUf  the  country;  and  tlii?,  «isj>os 
after  he  had  written  that  Great  Britahi  could  "lem.  I 
mi'ke  out  a  colorable  title  to  any  portion  n!  hevc  i| 
northwest  coast.  She,  however,  in  her  conipln  '•'^'''"'l 
cy,  oll'ered  to  give  us  all  below  the  centre  ol  iroinil 
navi'-'able  current  of  the  Columbia  at  its  mouth.      '•very  | 


vmination  tr  cx- 
izution,  (vnd  plam 
of  the  Pacific? 

ascertained  oni 
cut  any  cncroach- 

j^rovcriiinK  scnti 
IS  in  1774,  whi 
^^-cr — the  Iromeii- 
intiv,  when  tiny 
hey"  found  her  ii 
1  the  rij:;ht.  And  il 
Stales  and  individ- 
in  every  respect;  i' 
gainst  the  Indian- 
on   the  other,  the; 

we   long   hesitat. 

that,  ere  the  l!^^ 
his  e;rave,  this  na 

0  parley,  to  use  th 
itv,  when  a  tract ' 
nrc  than  the  origin; 

1  liiat,  too,  bccau!- 
igland  is  powerfn 
m  we  are.  But 
orniidablc  power  > 
1  uf  the  gentlenia: 
)  paralyze  the  actii 
a  question  as  tin 

England  makes 
I  possessions  beyoi 
\ives,  she  has  lor 
i  credit,  and  she 
nis  at  home,  whi 
)ng  and  so  seven 
md  disorderly,  wh. 
ike  very  impatient; 
sans  or  expectatio 
he  adds  to  it.  I! 
vhere  it  ought  to  be 
c.  And  here,  sir, 
ic  American  govor 
d  will  sacrifice  tli 
reat  Britain  is  we; 
relies  for  defence. 

cruelties  and  op])r 
,  it  will  be  from  n 

than  love.  And 
men  fighting  for  tr 

for  our  independf 
:>  to  gain  even,  at  Iv 
id  much,  very  mi 
a  of  it.  She  has '. 
ted  States,  where 
jrsuegotiations,  w; 

we  find  her  not  w. 
legoliate  for,  Orcc 
sirable  tract  of  »•» 
ind     modestly    da 

enlighened    Chris' 

0  war,  and  propd^' 
lie  has  been  very  f" 
•ican  Secretary  of  ^ 
cd  one  of  our  miniJ 
c  her  all  above  49  i 

west  of  the  mo     ■ 

1  surrender  of  5 

■  country,  and  this, 
reat  Britain  could 
to  any  portion  ('' 
2vcr,  in  her  compla 
ilow  the  centre  ot 
ambia  at  its  moutii. 


r  line  extended  easterly  parallel  thereto,  wiii<'h  (call- 
inir  the  nionih  40  deg.  and  10  min.)  would  giu;  us  a 
Jiitle  over  4  dej;.  --notciuite  one  third.  She  negotiates 
under  every  advantage,  since  every  degree,  every 
minute,  pvery  scrond,  will  be  so  inucli  cle  u'  gain. 
f Icr  condui't  in  this  matter  iirminds  nic  of  the  des- 
iiciatioM  of  a  iiard-faced  giunliler,  who,  tifler  he  had 
lo.st  his  last  rent  of  thousands,  proposed  to  the  win- 
ner to  fliji  up  a  copper,  find  see  wlio  should  have  the 
whole  pile  of  money  on  the  table;  and,  when  the 
wijnier,  in  the  phrensy  of  the  moment,  consented, 
niid  the  copper  was  in  the  air,  he  cxi'laimcd,  "Now, 
heads,  1  win;  tails,  you  lo.se."  Sir,  tiiis  is  much  the 
way  England  plays  with  us.  When  she  first  .sat 
'  dowji  to  negotiate  for  a  portion  of  the  State  of 
Maine,  she  pretended  to  have  no  right  whatever  to 
that  which  she  at  last  got;  but  was  willing  to  pur- 
chase it.  Wc  were  not  willing  to  sell  on  her  terms. 
Nevertheless,  she  kept  negotiiiting  and  negotiatin? 
wntil  she  got  all  she  wanted.  To  be  sure,  it  is  said 
•we  got  other  territory  in  payment;  but  that  territory 
•  was  ours,  too.  She  took  our  proper' y,  and  tradi^d 
■with  us  for  more  of  our  property,  and  cheated  us  in 
the  bargain. 

Sir,  the  greatest  mistake  that  our  enuntry  ever 
made  was  in  not  insisting  fully  upon  the  line  of 
1783.  Every  deviation  from  it  has  so  far  been  ca- 
lamitous to  our  best  interests,  whenever  we  have 
come  fully  to  understand  them.  England  has  been 
too  long  skilled  in  diplomacy  for  us  to  think 
of  playing  evcnhanded  with  her;  and  hence, 
before  the  stakes  are  down,  I  am  for  limiting 
our  agents,  and  it  is  on  this  very  account  that 
western  members  wish  to  provoke  discussion 
•upon  this  Oregon  question.  We  wish  to  show  the 
importance  we  attach  to  the  great  vtilley  of  the  Co- 
lumbia, so  that,  if  men  trat'.e  it  away,  they  may  be 
aware  of  the  consequences.  Wc  have  once  offered 
to  Great  Britain,  in  an  unwary  moment,  to  the  for- 
ty-ninth parallel.  But  who  dare,  .sir,  say  on  this 
floor,  that  our  people  will  warrant  or  sanction  fhtu 
offer  again;  or  nn  offer  to  .surrender  a  single  inch  of 
■that  country?  The  gentleman  has  said  that  this  is 
■'Hot  the  time  to  act  upon  this  matter.  Sir,  1  beg 
leave  to  differ  with  him;  and  assign,  as  the  very  rea- 
json  why  we  should  act  upon  it,  tlic  one  which  he 
gives  for  not  acting.  He  says  a  negotiation  is  about 
to  be  opened  with  respect  to  Oregon.  Well,  sir,  it  will 
i)c  mere  child's  play — empty  words  alone — to  dis- 
cuss the  matter  after  the  negotiation  is  closed,  the 
trenty  ratified,  and,  perhaps,  half  of  Oregon  given 
away.  What  avails  it  to  discuss  the  Ashburton 
treaty  now?  Like  it,  or  not  like  it,  wc  cannot  help 
ourselves;  and,  though  disapproved  liy  nine-tenths 
of  the  people  who  understand  it,  they  have  no  other 
Tesort  but  to  sancticni  it  as  tliey  would  the  de- 
crees of  Omnipotence.  The  fiat  has  gone  form,  and 
no  one  can  stay  it.  This  may  soon  be  the  case 
with  Oregon;  and  now  is  the  time,  ju^^t  the  time,  the 
iirgent  time,  to  sjieak  out  and  declare  our  sentiments, 
ere  diplomacy  may  have  done  its  work.  And  speak 
•We  will.  Sir,  ever  since  this  session  commenced, 
:We  have  been  introducing  proposition  after  proposi- 
■(tion  on  this  subject.  But,  until  this  time,  our  inge- 
tiuity  has  only  been  able  to  keep  pace  with  that  of 
the  honorable  gentlemen  opposed  to  tis,  in  silently 
■dis]iosing  of  them  all  as  fast  as  we  could  introduce 
them,  i  will  tell  the  House  that  the  West  has  come 
here  united  to  a  man  upon  this  subject;  (I  extremely 
regret,  however,  to  except  the  honorable  gentleman 
from  Keiitue.ky.)  And  we  intend  to  speak  out  upon 
<every  possible  occasion  to  arouse  this  House  to  a 


sense  of  its  duty,  and  to  awake  tlic  furthermost  re- 
gions of  our  country  to  our  right  to  every  inch  of 
Oregon;  that,  knowing  our  riglits,  there  may  be  ii 
c,onimon  rush  to  their  defence,  and  a  coumion  in- 
dignation for  bin;  who  may  treat  them  away,  or 
a  Senate  who  may  ratify  any  such  treaty.  And 
we  thus  speak  in  iulvance,  bi.caiise  it  is  the 
only  speaking  that  will  ])rov(>  efleetual.  For, 
when  once  negotiated  away,  the  unanimous 
voice  of  the  House — the  unanimous  voice  of  every 
lejiislature — ay,  the  unaiiimoiis  voice  of  the  whole 
American  people  caimot  recall  it.  It  is  gone  forever. 
To  the  friends  of  Oregon,  then,  this  is  not  the  time 
for  silence.  The  qui^stion  now  peniling  is  to  give 
the  year's  n.itice  refpiired  by  the  second  article  of  the 
convention  of  1»27 — to  wit:  that  we  wish  to  close  the. 
joint  occupancy;  for  such  it  has  been  called,  though 
lately  England  has  had  the  country  all  to  herself. 
This  vote  should  pass  tiiis  House  before  the  British 
minister  arrives,  and  then  he  will  know  somewhat 
of  the  opinions  and  determinations  of  our  people; 
and  then  he  and  our  treaty-making  powers  can 
shape  their  course  accordingly.  The  gentl(!manfrom 
Kentucky  has  descanted  on  our  weakness,  as  well 
as  the  strength  of  Great  Britain,  who,  he  thinks,  will 
be  provoked  to  war  by  any  such  vote  as  the  one  we 
recommend.  He  thinks  we  had  better  wait  ten 
years,  and  the  Oregon  settlers  will  have,  so  multipli- 
(h1  mid  strengthened  themselves  that  they  could  take 
the  country  without  help.  Sir,  I  wonder  that  this 
modern  temporizing  policy  never  suggested  itself  to 
our  sagacious  forefathers.  It  was  a  rash  act,  throw- 
ing that  tea  overboard  in  the  Charlestown  harbor! 
The  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  was  entirely  too  early, 
besides  being  contrary  to  the  law  and  constitution'. 
Our  revolutionary  sires  were  too  jirecipitatc  alto- 
gether! Had  they  waited  ten  years,  perhaps  Eng- 
land would  have  given  up  the  couiury  without  fight- 
ing for  it!  Aiid  there  were  men  in  those  days  who 
cried  out,  "wc  tu-e  weak,"  and  wanted  to  wait  awhile. 
But  the  gallant  Patrick  Henry  replied:  "We  arc 
weak,  but  when  shall  we  be  stronger?  Will  it  be 
next  week  or  next  year?"  Apply  this  to  Oregon. 
When  will  we  be  better  able  to  take  possession  of 
it?  Will  it  be  when  Great  Britain  shall  have  over- 
run it  with  her  troops,  armed  every  Indian,  and 
built  and  manned  a  fort  in  every  important  position? 
Every  day's  delay,  in  my  opinion,  only  makes  that 
territory  the.  more  difficult  for  us  to  take  possession 
of.  .And  the  very  remarks  of  the  gentleman,  as 
eoiiiiiig  from  an  j-inicrican  congressman,  will  but 
kindle  new  ardor  in  British  breasts,  and  make  that 
government  still  more  haughty  and  imperative  in  its 
requi.sitioiis.  They  were  very  impolitic,  to  say  the 
least,  at  this  time;  and  I  think  lie  should  not  have 
uttered  them,  under  i!ie  circumstances,  though  he 
believed  them  true.  I  wonder  this  advice — "wait 
ten  years" — was  not  thought  of  before  our  last  war, 
when  England  was  nabbing  our  gallant  seamen.  In- 
deed, there  were,  those  then  that  not  only  cried 
"wait,  don't  make  w.ir  with  the  mighty  kingdom 
of  Englt'.nd;"  but  who  even  went  further,  and  refused 
to  vote  appropriations  for  the  war;  and  further  yet, 
who  fed,  for  )iay,  clandc:!iincly,  the  British  army.  I 
hope,  if  gentlemen  are  not  going  to  aid  us  in  getting! 
Oregon,  they  arc  not  going  to  join  the  other  side, 
and  aid  Britain  to  it.  Wait  ten  years!  Away  with 
the  proposition!  Humanity  revolts  at  it.  It  re-l 
minds  me  of  a  certain  American  statesman,  who,  in  I 
his  moments  of  patriotic  feeling,  indignant  at  his  I 
country's  wrongs,  wanted  a  war  by  the  4th  of  July; 
afterwtuds,  cold-blooded  policy  got  possession  of 


him,  and  lie  explained  it  nwny  by  Hnyin|<;  that  he 
meant  some  future  4>i\  of  July.  Sir,  mIicii  wc  almll 
have  awaited  these  :eii  ycurw,  I  four  gentlemen  will 
be  as  little  ready  tf  mete  out  ju»tice  to  tlie  hiirdy  pi- 
oneer of  Orcj2fO)i  ixH  they  now  are. 

The  gcnllettuin  from  Kentui;ky  has  told  us,  that 
the  land  in  Cirrgon  is  poor  and  sterile.  He  iuia 
talked  of  barren  liills  and  anndy  wastes.  But,  in  tlie 
name  of  patriotism,  I  ask,  what  portion  of  our  coun- 
try Ih  80  poor,  is  possessed  l<y  a  tenant  so  mean, 
that  we  are  not  bound  to  defend  it?  What  lanil  so 
worthlesf?  as  to  be  basely  surrendered?  Tliouifli 
Orefunn  miy;ht  not  be  worth  a  sinjjle  penny,  wlieii  a 
nation  Udks  of  forcibly  lakiiiifit,  I  eonteiiu  we  are  as 
much  bound  to  defend  it  iis  we  are  the  spot  upon 
which  we  now  stand.  This  is  ail  our  countiy;and 
the  fact  that  it  is  .so,  should  make  every  inch  of  it 
valuable,  worth  fighting  for,  raihtir  tlum  to  be  basely 
surrendered  at  the  demand  of  any  nation.  The  gen- 
tleman ought  to  see  that  land  of  mountain-rock 
which  our  fonfather.s  defended.  At  any  rate,  ho 
has  read  of  the  heroes  and  sages  which  ii  has  |iro- 
duced.  What  he  calls  the  "l)arreii  wastes  of  Ore- 
gon" may  yet  be  tenanted  by  patriotic,  virtuous, 
and  intelligent  persons.  We  intend,  however,  that 
they  shall  be  free  citizens  of  the  United  St*U(  s,  and  not 
the  subjects  of  Great  Britain.  But  the  gentleman  is 
mistaken,  aUogiitlu'r  mistaken,  in  his  character  of 
the  country.  It  is  the  most  inviting  lanil  in  the 
world;  a  very  garden  of  Eden.  As  nii^ht  lie  expect- 
ed, much  of  the  best  of  the  land  is  in  that  portion 
claimed  by  Great  Britain,  and  much  of  the  poorest 
in  that  she  allows  us.  It  is  natural,  it  is  cliaracter- 
■  istic,  tliat  she  sliould  want  all  the  juice  herself,  and 
leave  the  rind  alone  to  us.  But,  poor  as  any  por- 
tion may  be,  it  is  all  worth  protecting  against  Brit- 
ish invasion,  because  it  is  all  our  right.  And  here 
the  remark  suggests  itself,  as  showing  how  very 
khidly  she  will  allow  us  the  shells  if  she  can  only 
get  the  oyster,  that  England  acknowledges  that 
th'  not  a  single  good   harbor  south  of  the 

Co  ',  and  yet  north  of  our  line  of  forty-two  de- 

gi  ...a.  Jo,  as  has  been  suggested  Ijy  my  friend 
from  Indiana,  fMr.  Owev,]  she,  with  great  ostensi- 
ble kinlness,  odors  us  the  harbor  of  Port  Discovery, 
in  Fuca's  inlet,  and  a  small  rocky  istlnnus,  lying 
southeast  fnnn  C;>pe  Flattery,  both  north  of  the  Co- 
lumbia. Tliese,  ho  well  says,  are  of  no  account. 
But,  however  little  or  inueli  liiey  may  be  worili, 
they  are  both  ours  now,  as  well  as  the  mouth  of  the 
Columbia;  and,  th^aigh  the  game  was  well  played 
by  Lord  Ashburton  with  the  Maine  people,  the 
West  will  never  al'ow  persons  to  steal  tlieir  oxen, 
and  then  iuipudi'ntly  come  and  trade  them  otf  for 
their  horses.  For,  in  the  law  of  nations,  nothing  is 
more  definitely  settled,  than  that  the  nation  who  dis- 
covers the  mouth  of  a  river  is  entitled  to  all  the  land 
that  is  watered  by  that  river,  its  tributaries,  and 
head  waters.  Now,  some  of  the  head  waters  of  the; 
Columbia  are  above  both  those  ])oiiits  (one  is  above 
54°^  which  she  is  endeavoring  to  steal  from  us  as 
capital  witli  which  to  buy  the  joint  navigation  of  a 
river  at  whose  mouth,  on  the  north,  (and  (  am  in- 
formed there  are  in.superaiilc  obstacles  to  there  ever 
being  a  town  on  the  south,)  there  must,  some  dav — 
and  that  not  tin-  distant — be  one  of  the  most  opu- 
lent and  important  cities  in  the  world.  And,  were 
we  to  adopt  as  our  doctrine;  that  by  which  Euiiland 
justified  her  driving  the  Spaniards  from  the  F'alkland 
islands,  the  Dutch  from  New  York,  or  the  Swedes 
from  Delaware,  we  should  not  only  aiuuU  the  article 
for  joint  occupation,  but  should  order  her  from  the 
territory  forthwith. 


Thfl  country,  for  the  mogt  part,  i»  well  inter 
npersed  with  prairie  And  timber,  so  as  to  facilitu  gets  all 
Hettlimtents;  and  the  river  regions,  particularly  piug  ti 
abound  with  heavy  timber,  furnishing  spars  eqiiii  claimed 
to  those  of  New  Zealand,  which  are  unsMrpasar'  doing  a 
by  any  in  the  world.  And  the  mouth  of  the  Co  that  co 
lumbia  is  within  twenty  days'  sail  of  Peru  or  Chih  per  cen 
which  arc  detntitute  ot  all  ship-building  materials  the  exp 
The  number  of  beautiful  sites  for  large  towns  aloris  cans  ou 
navigable  streams,  and  along  others  possessed  o^n  u 
imequalled  water-power  for  moving  mnnufccturin:  dealin  i 
machinery,  is  very  great.  The  streams  abound  wit!  able  At 
salmon  weighing  from  25  to  CtO  pounds,  and  10,()(li  for  viol; 
barrels  can  be  taken  out  per  annum,  without  dimiii  preesive 
ishin;'  the  stock.  The  Wallamctte  valley,  whei  waJM  st 
the  Methodist  mission  is,  is  larger  than  the  State  o  tinr  itse 
New  York,  and  is  said  to  be  the  finest  country  i:  which  t 
the  world;  and,  though  it  is  all  below  the  mo.s  QOlvitry 
.southerly  point  claimed  by  Great  Britain,  yet  tli  perfect 
Hud.son  Bay  company  have  driven  the  settlers  frnr  pwy  hi 
the  valuable'  mill-sites  at  the  falls  of  that  river,  whir!  pwwig 
were  nuah  needed,  and  which,  from  their  costly  irii  <5<MBmai 
provemenlii,  they  were  poorly  able  to  lose.  Such  i:  ^ftj  vi 
Its  grasping  avarice,  which  we  are  culled  upon  tOilly  siil 
check.  The  character  f/f  the  country  more  imnic  by.the  ( 
diately  about  the  Oregon  is  too  well  known  to  ner(«uro  now 
df  scriittion.  But,  says  Slacuin,  "aside  from  theOi  We  sin 
lumbia  and  Wallamette  valleys,  the  other  vallcvand  giv 
furnish  14,01)0,000  acres  of  as  good  land  as  can  1>  paltry  t! 
got  in  Illinois  or  Missouri."  The  clunate,  thouglbnijge  ti 
various  in  the  same  latitude,  is  much  milder,  arKthia  we 
more  uniform  west  than  east  of  the  mountains;  aiiithat  Lc 
ploughing  is  done  almost  all  winter,  and  now  am  he  knov 
then  there  is  a  winter  when  the  ground  neve  Perhaps 
freezes,  during  all  the  tune,  enough  to  interrupt  tliiration  f<: 
progrc  ss  f)f  the  plough.  And  every  kind  of  })ro(]pui*;  of 
uce  raised  in  our  western  States  is  more  easihada  to  n 
raised  here,  unless  it  may  be  Indian  corn,  vvhidof  our  s 
seems  not  a  favorite  with  the  Oregon  soil.  It  isthe  gen 
however,  the  finest  in  the  world  for  tobacco  niiiabout  tl 
hemp.  To  all  these  facts,  which  give  importance  t( Britain 
tlial  country,  let  it  be  added  that  it  is  within  thirtiof  stean 
days'  sail,  over  an  unrufHed  ocean,  of  China  aiuEaet  Im 
the  F.ast  India  seas,  and  ten  of  the  Sand  w  id  a*  they 
islands;  and  it  would  be  of  great  advantage  to  us  iibalte,  gi 
our  Pacific  fisheries,  if  we  had  an  American  tow  lolways 
and  a  strong  fort  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbi^iWeetern 
And  it  is  not  an  over  bold  prediction,  that  there  notable  to  f 
are,  on  the  stage  of  action,  those  who  will  live  t  u*  that 
see  steamboats  making  their  regular  trips  from  tli'thoae  V 
nnnith  of  the  Columbia  to  Canton.  m*"^'  ' 

IV)  give  instances  of  the  iniquity  practised  by  tliibIo<Hl  b( 
Hudson  Bay  company,  additional  to  their  driviii;6entime 
our  settlers  from  their  mill-sites  on  the  falls  of  t!i^  Am 
Wallamette,  1  will  mention  that,  in  the  countrMf®*^.  ^' 
which  they  expect  England  to  get,  they  have  lav.^O  suit 
for  the  preserviition  of  game;  such  as  forljidding  i;/o»*»«r( 
being  killed  out  of  season,  &c.;  whilst  in  the  couii"^**^"''' 
try  which  they  expect  will  fall  to  us,  they  pursn-rfsentat 
the  game  at  all  times,  with  a  manifest  desire  to  ''^j**?.»  ^"' 
terminate  it.  Again,  there  is  the  same  differtjuiv*"^'*"^ 
with  respect  to  their  treatment  of  the  Indians  in  ili(ftnd  see 

kind  of  depredatioitenfified 


two  sections,  conunittmg  every 

upon  those  of  tlie  one,  .so  as  to  make  thf'in  quiirrelsoni-^*"*    *| 

ing  ali  t  esoothin<raii*  °°P^  ' 
iSunie  a 


and  hostile,  whilst  they  arc  usi..^ 
of  ]ieuce  with   those  of  the  other. 


The  compaiiv 


,wiB^not 


have  already  taken  possession  of  all  the  eligib!" 
spots  for  factories,  mills,  or  towns;  and,  even  soti'i'*'^?*'  to 
of  the  Oregon,  they  have  forts  out  of  which  the)?*****  '1 
realize  soniething  like  $i500,000  per  annum.  TlK\f«"*5^i 
have  nineteen  forts  south  of  the  Columbia.  Tlicy^.  .*|^^ 
too,  are  cutting  all  the  timber  that  they  can  fr""?™. 
the  south  side  of  the  Columbia;  so  that,  if  Englaiit^"**'^^! 


part,  ifl  well  inter 
r,  so  as  to  facilitu  gets  I'H  north  of  the  river,  wc  must  l)ny  all  our  phip- 
•^ioHH,  particularly  ping  timlxT  from  lirr.  Amoi)^  tliu  |H>niui.sil<'8 
riiishiiig  Hpars  equii  clai»i'''l  ''y  ''>«  coinjiariy,  in  ilic  iinportaiit  oiinof 
ich  are^unHurpassr  doiiif?  ill!  llin  trrulinir,  all  tlio  huying  and  selling  in 
he  mouth  of  the  i!n  ihiat  country.  Tin;  company  lay  aside  n  certain 
«ail  of  Peru  or  Chili  pw  rentimt;  of  their  annual  profits,  to  be  used  for 
ip-buildin^  materials  the  exfire^s  and  avowed  purpose  of  keepini^  Ameri- 
'or  large  towns  ulnti>  cans  out  of  trade;  nntl   thi.s  liu»   been  time  and  time 

others  posseHScd  apuin  used  to  perseeuu;  Americans  who  dared  to 
ovin"  manufccturin.  deal  in  furs.  Indeed,  they  once  sentenced  ii  respect- 
streams  abound  wit!  able  American  to  wear  skins  for  a  number  of  years 
I  pounds,  and  10,lHli  for  violatin;,'  one  of  their  arbitrary,  uidu)ly,  and  op- 
mum  wilhoiU  diniiti  pre6.sive  re^'ulntions  concerning;  trade.  And  the 
amclle  valley,  whei  n»fU"  H'udy  of  the  company  is,  how  it  can  best  for- 
rtrer  than  the  State  (I  tirjr  itself  in  view  of  the  gusiiinj;  fide  of  eniij!;ration 
tlie  finest  country  r  which  they  well  know  must  eventually  overrun  the 

all  below  the  mo.<  QOUlitry.  The  Cape  and  Tongue,  points  are  two 
reat  Britain,  yet  ti:  perfect  Cibraltars  on  the  Cohunliia;  and  this  corn- 
riven  the  .settlers  frnnpftOy  has  already  taken  the  iutter,  as  thoy  are  |)re- 
11s  of  that  river,  whic:  paling  to  do   every  eligible  spot  on   that  river  for 

from  their  costly  iiii  <;o»mnndnig  its  navi-ration. 
able  to  lose.     Such  i:    •  W  view  of  these  facts  and  considerations,  our 
ve  are  cd led  upon  t  Oiily  •'^'d'i  and   politic  course  .'s   in  doing  as  we  did 

coimtry  more  unnw  byihe  origiiud  great  northwest  territory,  and  as  we 
)  well  known  to  nrnaw  now  doing  by  Florida,  Wisconsin,  and  Iowa, 
n  "aside  from  the  C' I  We  should  extend  our  jurisdiction  over  Oregon, 
TH  the  otlier  valliyand  give  it  a  territorial  govenmient,  and  let  the 
1  good  Imid  as  can  l  paltry  thought  that  such  a  course  may  give  imi- 

Thc  cliuuite,  thoug|Dn|ge  to  Great   Britain   pa.ss  by   unheeded.     And 

is  inuch  milder,  antthil  we  should  do,  although  the  gentleman  tclK^  us 
If  the  mountains;  an(that  Lord  Packenham   i.s  coming.     But  how  does 

winter  and  now  am  be  know  that  he  is  coming  to  treat  on  this  subjecL' 
1  the  ground  neve  P*riu>ps  lie  may  be  coming  to  make  some  renuuie- 
lough  to  interrupt  tli'^ation  for  the  burning  of  the  Caroline,  or  the  kidnap- 
id  every  kind  of  prodping  of  Grogan.  For  my  part,  1  hope  he  is.  To 
States  IS  more  easihadtt  to  our  terror  on  this  occasion,  to  frighten  us  out 
e  Indian  corn  whirlof  Our  sympathies  for  the  expo.sed  Oregon  pioneers, 
he  Oregon  soil.     It  isthe  gentleman   from   Kentucky   has  told  us  that. 


tobacco  aiiiabout  the  time  our  last  treaty  was  made,  Great 
ich  give  importanoe  ti Britain  had  paraded  about  our  const  a  whole  line 
lat  it  is  within  thirt\of  atean'ships,  ostensibly   for  carrying  the  mails  to 

ocean  of  China  aiiiEaat  India,  but  really  for  battering  down  our  cities, 
tu  of  the  Sandwiriasthey  were  loaded  with  cannon,  cannister,  powder, 
eat  advantage  to  us  iibaMa,  grape-shot,  and  other  ammunition  of  war.     I 

d  an  American  towiolways  wondered  at  the  late  treaty,  and  so  have  our 
ulh  of  the  Columbia"w*atern  triends  generally.      We  never  have  been 

iction  that  there  nowaW*  to  account  for  it.  The  gentleman  did  not  tell 
those  who  will  live  t  "■  that  our  treaty-making  powers  got  a  peep  into 

re-ndar  trips  from  ili'tho»e  West  India  mail-bags.  But  he  has  told  his 
nton. 


Mv 


c. 


story,  and  left  us  to  draw  our  own   inference 

ciui't'v  practised  by  tliWood  boils  with  indignation  at  the  utterance  of  sucfi 

ioiuii  to' their  driviii:aentimeius,  knowing,  as  I  do,  that  these  remarks  of 

i  on   the  falls  of  t!i^"i  American   congressman     will    give  a   hint    to 

that    in   the  couniii^^at  Britain  how  she  can  get  another  treaty  signed 

o  cet'  they  have  lav,  *<>  "wit  I'cr  purpo.ses,  always  providing  that  the  ris;ht 

such  as  fijrbiddin"  \  folks  arc  at  the  head  of  our  gnvcrnment.     "Give  ear,  oh 

whilst  in  the  coui'^^**®"^'  'I'^cnd,  oh  earth!"  hush,  ye  senators  and  rep- 

f  dl  to  us  they  iiursiii'"^*"tatives!  Lord  Packenham  is  on  his  way  to  Anie- 

inanifest'desi're  to  cx''«»;  and  very  likely  he  may  take  along  those  West 

the  same  difterci"'*'^"'*"^"'' "'^^  *'^'' ''■'^i'* '^'■*^*'''y"'i^''^'*^*i''** '^o'ool^  i"'*') 

t  of  thc'lndians  in  tlii*"^.  "ee  the  dread  preparations  for  war,  and  then  be 

kind  of  denredati'i'®"'*^®''  "''^^  '^  wanton  surrender  of  their  own  citi- 

I'MU  quirrelsoni^*"" — '^  ^'"^^^  "^'^  valuable  part  of  their  country.    Sir, 

UMralit  esooVhin-aiitJlope'V"   f"^''''^",''''"''  "'*''I*'   '""1  •^'"'"•'|  "^- 
|)lher       The  compamS«»»e  »   hostile  attitude,   as  m  days  of  yore,  there 
'  e     II  .iw.   «ii<rilii(W»'not  be  those  on  our  coast  to  burn  iilun  lights  in 
on  ot  all  tne   eusin"     «     .      •      ,  •  ,,  i-  ;i      > 

nd  even  soui:'*™*'  '^  ?'^'''  "'^  cannon  the  proper  direction  tor  the 

.owns;  a     ,  ^^^^^^-^^^ 'j^jjl^    nuschief  and  destruction.     But  1   have  my 

ms  out  rji]|,;feari;  sin.^e,  let  what  question  arise  that  will,  there 

,     l^"",""  , .    '    r,M,..:ire  always  some    that    instinctively    espou.se   the 

f  tlS  tS "an  fS?."ti?h  side.     F.u-  one,   I  have  no  ^onceVn  for  any 

Diu- so  that,  if  Englaia^^^^vixntageous  cllects  aiising  from  the  discussion 


of  this  question,  even   if  Lord  Pnckenlunn    does 
come;  and   let   him   come — and  come   to  lake  the 
mouth  of  the  Columbia,  too,  if  it  so  pleasi;  him.  We 
have  had  one  Packenham  on  a  visit  U)  our  sliores, 
with  a  view  to  lake  the  mouth  of  another  celebrated 
river;  and  does  the  gentleman   remember  the  wtmn 
rece|ilion  he  met  with,   and  the  result  of  /u.s  nego- 
tiations.-    He  found  uKire  cannister  and   grape  here 
than  he   brought  in  his  mails;  and,  liefoie  he  could 
ell'ectually  open  his  despalthcs  I'or  our  government, 
he  was   <leH|)atchcd  to   luioiher  world,    and   his  fol- 
lowert!  were  despatched  in  hot  pursuit,  e.vccpt  a  few 
who  were  despatched  home  on  an  errand  of  mercy. 
And  the  opinions  and  sympathies  with  reference  to 
our  treatment  of  that  Packenham,  and   his  British 
and  Americiui  allies,   were  expressed  a   few  days 
since  liy  the  members  of  this  House  by  their  votes 
on  the  hill  to   refund  General  Jackson's  fine.     We 
then   saw  wiio   favored   the  conqueror  of  Packen- 
ham  the   first.      Now,   if  Packenham   the  second 
has  come   to  take  the  mouth  of  ihe  ('oliimbia  river 
by  negotiation,  by  diplomacy,  by  threats,  by  the  ex- 
hibition of  more  Kest  Iiuliii  mails,  or  by  main  force, 
I  predict  thatanotl-'r  Jackson  will  rise  up  to  defend 
it  against  the  ravages  of  an  infamous  crew,  whose 
rallying  cry  is  '^-beaiUy  and  6oo<i/,"  and  also  to  im- 
prison the  Halls,    the  Loual tiers,   and  such  otlier 
traitors  as  may  appear.     I  will   not,  I  cannot  stop 
to  count  the  cost,  as   the  gentleman  has,  when  our 
country's  rights  are  invaded;  when  our  citizens  are 
hourly  exposed   to  the  bruttil  massacres  of  the  In- 
dians; when  persons  entitled  to  the  protection  of  our 
government    juc  repeatedly   arrested,    and  cruelly 
punished,   and  sometimes  unrighteously  executed 
by  a  mob  court,  instituted  at  the  will  of  the  Hudson 
Bay  company,  which   is  immediately  interested  in 
driving  every  one  of  our  citizens  from  the  country. 
Instead  of  keeping  quiet,  I   think   it  our  duty  to 
speak  freely  and  candidly,  and  let  England  know 
that    she    never   can    have    an    inch    of    Oregon, 
nor    another  inch    of   what    is    now    claimed    as 
the  United   States  territory.     I  go  further  yet,  sii*; 
and  1  say  that  she  never  can  have  Texas  or  Califor- 
nia.    If  she  entertains  any  such  cxp(!ctations,  they 
are  delusive.      England    has  run   her  race   on  the 
American  continent.      Hen<;efortli  she  is  to  be  the 
loser  ;ind    not   tlie  "jaiiier  in   any  instance.     Once 
again  let  Canada  strike  ibr  freedom,  and   the  liberal 
spirit  of  the  age,  the   republiccan  sentiments  of  our 
peojde,  will  not  tolerate  our  government  in  sending 
another  "peace  establishment"  to  our  northern  fron- 
tier, toembarrss  the  struggling  sons  of  freedom  by 
keeping  American   sympathies     this    side  the  line. 
With  England  in  pos.sesion  of  Texas,  what  arc  we 
to  expect  from  our  cotton  trade.'    Again:  with  her 
in  possession  of  California  and  the  fertile  plains  of 
Oregon,  how  soon  vanish  our  golden  dreams  of  com- 
peting with  the  whole  world  in  bread  stud's.' — how 
quick  is  gone   our  sanguine   hope  of  supplying  all 
China  with  tobacco,  and  of  carrying   on    the  most 
profiuible  and  extensive  trade  with  the  Sandwich  is- 
lands, the  East  Indies,  and,  indeed,  with  the  whole 
Pacific  country.'    Sir,   England  already  has  Canada 
on  our  north.     Now  give  her  Oregon  and  California 
on  the  wfst,  and  Texas  on  tlie  south,  and,  with  her 
present  force   on  the  Atlantic,  what  should  we  be 
but  a  mere  island,  surrounded  in  every  direction  by 
British  territory  and  British  power?    Sir,  I  may  be 
a  fanatic  on  this  subject,  but  I  candidly  believe  God 
never  made  an   inch  of  America  to  be  a  colony  of 
Great   Britain   or  any  other  government.     I  never 
J  could  make  up  my  mind  that  He  designed  the  utter- 


8 


most  portiona  of  tliis  srciion  of  ilir  cnrtli,  at  lonsl, 
for  her  inhtrilnncc.  I  liavc  «:ver  looked  upon  Anier- 
io«  ns  the  land  of  proniis*' — hs  the  tcrrcNtiid  panidiHc 
which  should  know  tyranny  and  ((iniTBsioii  only  by 
name.  I  Jinvn  ever  belicvrd  all  ot  Amerioii  dnKtiticd 
an  "the  land  of  the  frep;"  and  I  hope  our  artion  on 
thia  all-important  qucBtion  will  show  to  the  world 
that  the  United  SlateH,  at  IcaKt,  in  still  "the  home  of 
the  bravo."    As  apiinst  Great  Britain  or  any  other 

government,  we  can  rijjhtfully  take  posHcsaion  of 
'regon;  and  I  am  fordouif^  so  immediately,  ftnd  for 
passing  such  laws  as  will  hold  out  the  greatcut  in- 
ducements for  speedy  cmignilion  to  that  country. 

When  old  Ethan  Allen  took  possession  of  a  Brit- 
ish fort,  and  his  authority  was  demar.ded,  he  replied, 
"by  the  authority  of  Almighty  God  and  the  conti- 
nental Congress."  Religious  enterprise,  niissionary 
zeal,  has  done  the  most  that  has  been  tlone,  thus  far, 
for  the  settlement  of  Oregon.  Hence  (I  Hay  it  with 
due  deference)  the  Almighty  God  bids  us  onward 
to  take  Oregon;  and  all  we  are  now  asking  for,  is 
the  authority  of  the  present,  though  not  the  conti- 
nental, Congress.  We  chastized  Great  Britain  in 
our  infancy;  we  did  it  again  soon  a*^.'°r  we  were  one 
and  twenty;  and  why  fear  her  now,  whilst  in  our 
full  strength,  in  demanding  our  rights?  Sir,  in  be- 
half of  the  West,  where  no  such  fears  arc  entertain- 
ed, I  close  by  bidding  Lord  Packenham  and  Great 
Britain  defiance.  That  nation,  and  that  name,  can 
strike  no  terror  to  our  hearts  whilst  the  battle  of 
New  Orleans,  fought  under  so  many  adverse  circum- 
stances, is  fresh  in  our  recollection.    Or.  that  occa- 


sion, they  both,  with  all  their  importance  and  alt 
their  pretence,  were  weighed  in  the  balance  against  tin; 
patriotism  and  valor  of  a  few  unpretending  Ameri- 
cans, and  found  grossly  wanting.  England  may 
Halter  herself  that  she  will  yet  divide  the  Elysiaii 
fields  of  Oregon  with  us;  but  she  might  as  well  set 
in  motion  another  Hartford  convention,  to  divide  thi.'i 
glorious  confederacy,  cemented  by  the  blood  of  our 
fathers.  She  may  dream  of  the  joint  possession  of 
the  navigable  waters  of  the  mignty  Columbia.  In 
that  same  mad  dream  may  she  well  include  the  pon- 
srsmon  of  the  great  Mississippi,  and  all  its  tributa- 
ries. Does  she  entertain  the  faintest  hope  of  ever 
holding  any  portion  of  Oregon  in  peace.'  Let  that 
hope  be  based  on  her  first  procuring  a  surrender  of 
our  national  Capitol.  But  stop — the  figure  is  too 
weak.  She  has  once  had  this  Capitol  in  her  posses* 
session.  Before  she  liolds  Oregon  in  peace,  she 
must  first  extinguish  the  spirit  of  liberty  springing 
perennially  from  every  American  heart.  Tliat  land 
IS  ours  by  original  discovery,  and  also  by  original 
posse^sion.  ft  is  ours  by  our  own  right, 'and  also 
that  of  several  nations,  conveyed  to  us  by  solemn 
treaties — all  with  paramount  claims  to  Great  Britian. 
If  one  inch  of  it  is  ours,  it  is  all  ours;  for  we  hold  it 
all  by  the  same  tenure.  It  is  all  ours,  or  there  is 
none  of  it  ours.  Let  it  all  go  together.  The  true 
motlier,  in  the  Scripture,  could  not  consent,  to  the 
division  of  the  child.  And,  as  a  lost  request  of  our 
treaty-making  powers,  the  American  people  say. 
cut  not  in  twain,  for  purposes  of  disgraccfu! 
peace,  our  darling  territory. 


vW' 


portnnpc  nnrt  nil 
mlancc  iigainst  tin; 
retending  Anieri- 
.  England  may 
livide  the  Elysina 
might  BH  well  sot 
tion,  to  divide  thU 
■  the  blood  of  o»r 
int  possession  of 
y  Columbia.  In 
1  include  the  pon- 
kI  all  its  tributu- 
est  hope  of  evrr 
1  peace?  Let  that 
ig  a  surrender  of 
-the  figure  is  too 
)itol  in  her  posses- 


on    in    peace, 


she 


liberty  spnneni" 
heart.  That  land 
1  also  by  original 
m  right, 'and  also 
to  us  by  solemn 
18  to  Great  Britian. 
irs;  for  we  hold  it 

ours,  or  there  is 
gether.  The  true 
not  consent  to  the 
last  requestor  out 
irican  people  say. 
ses  of  disgraccfu! 


